We are living in an era that has normalised over-sharing, and our most preferred mediums of communication are neatly packed into a small smart screen. Our travel checklist now includes multiple device chargers, USB cables, headphones, and power banks. We “get away from it all” only to be constantly connected to everything that’s familiar to us. But if you really want to be fully immersed in the moment, rejuvenate and re-emerge ready to take on the world again, digital detox holidays are becoming an increasingly popular option.
Pre-broadcast your detox
The fear of missing something important leads many people to impulsively check their phones and email accounts several times a day. Instead, let other people know through social media, email, phone or an in-person conversation that you will be offline and unavailable even if it’s for a few hours. You can give an alternative form of communication in case of an emergency. This would definitely keep you at ease and also ease the temptation of finding an excuse to jump online.
Buy an alarm clock
Many people use an alarm app to wake up in the morning, but having your smartphone by your bed can create an urge to check your messages first thing in the morning. Instead, making coffee or tea, and starting the day on your terms before getting wrapped up in email, Facebook, memes, the news or other forms of digital communication.
Go device-free at meals
More than a third of employees eat lunch at their desks on a regular basis, according to a survey by talent management company Right Management. Meals should be a trigger for unplugging and not a reason to check your unread messages.
Disable all push
notifications
Those continuous notification alerts from Facebook, Twitter and email interrupt your day and your thought process. Instead, choose the time to check your messages and be intentional about it. Don’t let the beeps and buzzes of the online world pull you from the moment that you are currently enjoying.
Welcome quiet time
With the world at your fingertips, boredom can be a thing of the past. The unoccupied moments can be magical, and when a lull leads to an urge to check your email or Facebook, resist it. These moments with no expectations may sometimes have an amazing realization or thought, and even remember something we had forgotten.
Go away some place quiet
One way to detox is to head to wellness retreats. There are various retreats that you can choose where the guests are discouraged from bringing phones and laptops with them. WiFi is available only within the rooms, but the resort plans your day such that you step out in the morning and don’t come back to your room until late in the evening. There are some who let you bring your pets and spend quality time with them on long walks through the grasslands. You could even spend the day trekking, watching wildlife, cycling up hills, and boating.
Lay the groundwork
Have a few practice sessions while you’re at home. Try leaving your phone behind when you go the supermarket or ask the whole family to put their devices in a box before you eat a meal together. Try an app
It sounds counter-intuitive that a download might help you quit the enslaving electronics, but the Forest app really works. Leave your phone alone and it will grow a tree, then eventually a forest. Fiddle with your phone and the tree dies. Manage your updates
Switch off push notifications on your phone and tablet and set your email apps to refresh manually in settings so they aren’t pinging every 15 minutes or better still, take the account off your phone. In WhatsApp you can mute chats for up to one year, too. (Agencies)
